An email from Eileen about Mark's funeral

Well, we had Mark's funeral on Monday. It was really nice. Fort Rosecrans sits atop Point Loma, with the Pacific on one side, and San Diego Bay on the other. There was a huge turnout and I saw folks I hadn't seen in 15 years. It really drives home how fast time goes by and how much you miss when you lose contact. Mark was buried with full military honors. We picked up all the shells from his 21 gun salute and kept them. After the salute there was a lone bugle playing taps in the distance. Lots of tears. After wards we all gathered at Mark and JoAnne's home. There was a slide show playing and there was a picture of Mark and Jon Destiche at the San Diego Zoo. They were about 20 years old and such baby faces! I finally stopped crying after about 4 shots of something. Mark would have been so proud of me. I believe I have made plans to go on a llama trip with Mark's niece Vicki and her family, then on to Washington state with my sister-in-law and her husband. Then I made Marks niece, Suzy, my honorary Sister-in-law (she used to date my brother Scott). Mark's brothers reassured me they love me after much prodding and I told everyone else they better start dropping by to visit me. There was some toast that went - ziggy ziggy oy oy oy - or something like that, followed by shots of whatever was sitting on the bar. Oh, my stomach is turning just thinking about it. It will be a while before I indulge again - at least a week or two. We saved some of Marks ashes and plan to head out to the desert to send him up in some illegal fireworks we have collected. Damn. The SOB died on me. You all take care. Hugs and Kisses, Eileen